Emma: Brett Favre, Bart Starr Unite For Special Moment
By Chris Emma--
GREEN BAY, Wis. (CBS) -- Standing still in the Lambeau Field tunnel, awaiting a moment long delayed, Brett Favre gazed out from the darkness toward a special scene.
Favre emerged from the tunnel in the stadium's southwest corner and began his walk to the field, like so many times before. Yet, this wasn't like any other time at Lambeau Field for Favre. Eight years after leaving the Packers organization, it was like Favre had never left.
Time tends to heal, something that proved to be true for Favre. The bitter divorce with the Packers and eventual landing with the rival Vikings felt forgotten during that halftime ceremony on Thursday, as Green Bay faithful offered its gratitude to Fave on Thanksgiving during a game against the Chicago Bears. He walked towards the "G" at midfiel,d where team president Mark Murphy was waiting.
"Welcome home," Murphy said, echoing through the stadium as Kenny Chesney's "This Is Our Time" played on the loudspeakers.
Favre appeared overwhelmed by the moment. He kept the speech short and sweet.
"I know we have to be quick, we have to finish this game, but it is Thanksgiving and we have so much to be thankful for," Favre said to the crowd. "And as I think back to our time here in Green Bay, I certainly thank God for the opportunity to play a game I love and play it for a long time and in the best place to play football in the world."
The highlight of this ceremony came before Favre's famed No. 4 was unveiled atop Lambeau Field and after Favre took to the field.
Murphy announced that someone "who has worked really hard to be here tonight" was coming out. That was Bart Starr, the 81-year-old Packers legend who suffered two strokes and a heart attack within five days last year.
Riding in a golf cart, Starr entered and brought the local crowd to a frenzy. Favre waited on the platform at midfield with a smile on his face. As the cart approached, Favre leaped from the stage and hurried over.
Tears rolled down Starr's face as he shared a warm embrace with Favre. While the night was about Favre, it was Starr who stole the show.
"I mean, it was awesome," Favre said of reuniting with Starr. "I got more of a thrill out of that than what I was here for."
For Packer backers and Bears fans alike, there were goosebumps.
The Bears would go on to win the game, 17-13. For a plot twist, the Packers saw their quarterback play struggle, with Aaron Rodgers held in check, including four incompletions on a goal-to-go situation in the final minute. A touchdown would've won it, but the Bears denied the Packers at the goal line.
Green Bay was awfully quiet in the aftermath of defeat, because the Packers lost to their arch rivals. Frustration from the game will prove to be temporary, but the moments from halftime will live on forever.
What Favre meant to the Packers, to Green Bay and to a football-crazed state is hard to measure. For 16 seasons, he was the fitting face of the franchise, a tough, personable superstar who simply was a winner. Yet, his exit tore fans -- many of whom turned on "Fredo" Favre, while a few swapped allegiances along with their hero, even when he moved to Minnesota.
Fittingly, Thanksgiving brought an evening for the Packers to honor Favre, a legend in so many ways. On Thursday, it seemed as if all was forgiven between Favre and Green Bay.
"There's no place like Green Bay," Favre said. "There's no place like Lambeau Field."
Favre's walk from the dark tunnel to Packers immortality was something to cherish, soon topped by Starr and his tears of joy. What a memorable night it was at Lambeau Field.